


The Gift of a Smile

by BurningLeviathans



Category: Dishonored (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Whalers - Freeform, Wolfhounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-24
Updated: 2013-02-24
Packaged: 2017-12-03 10:27:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/697273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurningLeviathans/pseuds/BurningLeviathans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daud’s not usually a generous man, but on a rare occasion, he makes an exception for a broken Overseer, just to see a smile.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gift of a Smile

**Author's Note:**

> Follow up to [A Man and His Dog](http://archiveofourown.org/works/679413), but with a much lighter tone.

“You're a difficult man to find.”

“Have you ever thought there was a reason for that, Overseer?”

Martin chuckled softly, spreading his hands silently, as if to say, You've got me on that point. Watching the lead Whaler walk around the large room, placing books and papers here and there, the Overseer let his hands clasp behind his back, head tilting. “The Flooded District, what an ingenious place to call home. Though it's astounding how you've kept from catching your death.”

Daud grunted softly, still trying to clean up a bit so he could find a journal of important notes he'd misplaced, before muttering. “I have my secrets, just like every other human being. Now is there a reason you've come here, or are you just wasting my time and patience?”

Martin couldn't contain his amusement at Daud's obvious irritation with both not being able to find what he was looking for, and the Overseer's presence. He almost wondered if the discomfort at an Abbey member was due to him being a worshiper of the Outsider, like the rumours spoke of. That, of course, was why he was here. Mostly.

“I suppose you could say I came on behalf of Abbey business. Maybe with a tad of my own curiousity, if that would help ease any fears.” Martin spoke smoothly, eyes following Daud's every motion closely. The man was the leader of a group of highly skilled assassins, he wasn't about to let his guard down so easily just because the man seemed distracted.

It seemed that Martin's words caught Daud's attention, as he stopped, standing and turning to the Overseer, narrowing his eyes. “What could an Overseer possibly want in regards to Abbey business?”

Shrugging a bit, Martin hummed softly, looking around a bit before he finally answered. “There are a lot of...rumours, pertaining to you. Whispers, things that are fascinating, and yet completely unconfirmed. I came here on my own burden to ease my burning curiousity.”

Daud grunted softly, before waving a hand, leaning against his desk and folding his arms over his chest. He looked tired, worn out. If Martin got lucky, maybe he'd get some answers. After a long, almost tense moment, Daud finally sighed before motioning for Martin to speak. “Go ahead and ask your questions.”

Martin couldn't help but smile widely, pleased with the man's almost obedient nature. Rocking on his heels a bit, the Overseer cleared his throat, watching Daud. “Are you a heretic? One of the Outsider's Marked?”

“Perhaps I am. Either way, the Abbey's a load of shit to me, so I'd never worship them, if that's what you're trying to insinuate.”

That wasn't really the answer Martin had been looking for, but he decided not to press on it. Letting the rest of the questions he had pass through his mind, he hummed a bit before choosing one, looking to Daud. “And your men, you and they are..practitioners of black magic?”

Daud gave a shrug, arms unfolding so his hands could rest against the edge of the desk. “Could be. Or could not be. You know how rumours go.” Clearly, the man wasn't going to comply the way Martin would have wanted him to, and they both knew that.

Martin sighed softly before clasping his hands behind his back, perusing his mind for a question Daud might actually give him a straight answer to. “Some of our Overseers have been reporting that there are hounds vanishing from the streets, whether tame or not. One or two have reported seeing men in whalers' uniforms with them before they just...disappeared. Only your men fit those descriptions.”

At that, a faint smirk overtook the Whaler leader's face, before vanishing as soon as it appeared. Instead of answer, he stood straight, motioning to Martin. “Strange you should ask that, when I've never seen you with a hound yourself, Overseer. Isn't it almost a rule for all Overseers to have one at their side? Are you just not an animal person?”

The Overseer's body tensed slightly, and he smiled thinly, trying his best to remain calm. Daud didn't know about his experience with wolfhounds, nor did he know about what had happened to his first and only one. It wasn't fair to lose his temper on innocent questions. At least, they seemed as such. “My hound is dead. Now, about the question I asked.”

Watching Martin for a long, silent time, Daud shrugged. “Yes, my men have been saving the wolfhounds from the streets, from the Abbey. Retraining them. It's almost a heresy how your men have treated these poor beasts. We keep them here, in a nearby building. I'd offer to show you, but I'd rather not have to clean up the mess they'd leave of you. We've also started breeding some of them, so they're even more protective. You understand.”

So he did have hounds here. The thought of there actually being pups running around here, somewhere, made Martin's eyes widen a bit in childish excitement. He quelled the look much too late, and Daud chuckled, bringing a cigarette to his lips and lighting it. “Oh, I see now. Well, if you like, I can take you to them. Maybe they wouldn't be so brutal on you, after all.”

Martin couldn't help but smile widely, letting his animal loving side out after so long. “You'd really allow me to do that? This isn't just some ruse to silence me?” Daud couldn't see it, but the Overseer was positively giddy at the thought of being able to play with these hounds.

The man shrugged, blowing some smoke out between his lips, before stubbing out his cigarette on an ornate ashtray, opening a door and leading the way out of his office, onto the wooden ramparts that connected the buildings. Martin followed closely, looking about to see a good number of Whalers stalking the rooftops, clearly watching them. They were more numerous than he'd first imagined.

Daud looked back, following Martin's gaze quickly and waving a hand. “Don't mind them, they won't attack you as long as you keep with me. They're just not used to an Overseer being around here.” He led the Overseer quickly over a few ramparts and into a building, letting the door fall closed behind Martin as he walked in. The Overseer looked around, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light before spotting a few little bodies walking around, eying him warily.

Leaning against the wall next to the door, Daud crossed his arms over his chest and watched as Martin knelt down, proffering a hand to one of the closer pups, who cautiously approached him and sniffed at the glove he wore. Not recognising Overseers as a threat just yet, the pup licked at his hand and moved forward, panting happily at the attention it received when Martin's hand scratched behind its ear.

After a few moments, a second pup approached Martin, followed by a third, and a fourth, before the Overseer was surrounded by wriggling little wolfhounds. His calm, priestly demeanor had quickly melted into a child-like bliss, a wide smile on his lips and in his eyes, hands moving over each pup. A few older wolfhounds stalked in to see what the commotion was, before approaching Martin as sniffing him, deeming him safe, and licked his face. Martin laughed, running his hands along the larger hounds' heads. A young wolfhound skittered in and practically flung itself at Martin, tackling him and pushing him to the ground, licking his face eagerly.

After ten minutes had passed, the room was filled with nearly two dozen pups and almost a dozen adult wolfhounds, all eagerly crowding around Martin. The Overseer couldn't even manage to sit up without another hound tackling him back down, each dog assaulting him with their long tongues, whether licking his hands or face.

Martin couldn't remember the last time he'd actually been this happy, and Daud couldn't help but smile at the man's clear joy. He chuckled softly, before quietly easing out of the door to leave the Overseer alone with the hounds, shutting it behind him.

It didn't bother him that Martin would return every now and then just to play with them.


End file.
